Graduation Day
by CorporalCoon
Summary: Annie Ringtail has moved away, and Bentley is lonely, but a new chapter in his life is moving into Annie's former home.


It was the summer of 1992. Bentley Raccoon was not a happy camper. Luck just didn't seem to be on his side. First, the fishing hole where he hoped to share some adventures with Bert and Cedric had been poisoned by Milton Midas and would take generations to be cleaned up. Second, the eruption of Mount Vulcan and the subsequent earthquakes in the summer of 1991 had destroyed the home of his friend Annie Ringtail and her family. Although they were living in a new home and were happy with it, Bentley's relationship with Annie hadn't been the same. He hadn't been very nice to her when she first took an interest in him.

When he believed that Mount Vulcan had taken the life of his sister Lisa and his friend Bert, Annie had tried to reach out to Bentley, but he had angrily rebuffed her. It was only when he found her in the rubble of her destroyed house and saved her life that he realized he had feelings for her. Annie's father had not been too happy with Bentley for rebuffing her efforts to help him.

Things just seemed to go from bad to worse. At the beginning of July, Annie's father had received a job offer from Ottawa and had accepted it. They had sold the house and moved a few weeks later. For Bentley, it seemed like he would never find true love like the other members of his family had.

As much as Bentley tried to keep his emotions in check, it was extremely hard. There were times when he would go to his room and cry his eyes out. His parents, however, knew something was wrong. They knew how much Bentley missed Annie during dinner one night.

"Bentley," Nicole said. "If it would make you feel any better, we could get you a puppy. Your father and I think you're more than ready enough now."

"Thanks Mom," Bentley said, getting up and leaving the table. "But not even a puppy can fill the void in my life now." He then went upstairs.

"He really misses Annie," Lisa said. "I feel sad for him."

"I think Bentley really needs us to listen to him now," George said. "Let's all go talk to him."

Bentley was willing to talk, but it wasn't easy.

"Mom, Dad," Bentley said. "Will I ever get over this heartbreak?"

"Your grandma told me that when one window closes," George said. "Another one opens."

"Why wasn't I nicer to Annie?" Bentley said. "That way, she might still be here."

"I think Annie realizes now she pushed you too hard," Nicole said. "You needed time to put things together after that whole Mount Vulcan situation."

"You thought Bert and I were dead," Lisa said. "She should have given you a chance to grieve."

"I'm so glad you survived," Bentley said. "But if I had lost the two of you and Annie as well, I don't know what I would have done."

"Do you feel a little better after talking, Bentley?" Nicole asked.

"A bit," Bentley said. "It's always nice to have a family to talk to."

The three of them each took a turn hugging Bentley. Nicole kissed Bentley on the cheek.

"Have a good sleep, honey," Nicole said.

Bentley did seem to cheer up after the talk...and a good night's sleep.

Bert, as usual, was always supportive.

"Any change in the girlfriend department, little buddy?" Bert asked.

"Not now," Bentley said. "But hopefully soon."

As they were talking, a moving truck and a car bearing four raccoons passed by. It stopped in front of Annie's old house, which Bert and Bentley weren't too far from.

The door to the car's driver seat opened and a male raccoon who appeared to be in his late forties got out. There was also a female raccoon the same age and two younger raccoons, who appeared to be Bentley and Lisa's age.

Bentley walked up to the older male raccoon and introduced himself.

"Hello sir," Bentley said. "I'm Bentley Raccoon. Welcome to the neighbourhood."

"Pleased to meet ya, Bentley," the father said. "My name's Jack." He spoke with what appeared to be an accent native to the American South.

"Are you from the U.S.?" Bentley asked, trying to break the ice.

"We're from Alabama," Jack said. "I got a job offer in the Evergreen Forest and decided to take it."

"Are you having any trouble adjusting to Canadian culture?" Bentley asked.

"Not so far," Jack said. The two kids then came up and stood by him.

"Bentley, these are my kids, Rachel and Curt," Jack said.

"Hey there, Bentley," Curt said.

"Pleased to meet ya," Rachel said.

Bentley had trouble getting an introduction out. Rachel was so beautiful. She wore an orange tanktop and had a pink ribbon in her hair. His hesitation certainly wasn't lost on Jack.

"Looks like you've made a new friend, Rachel," Jack said. "And we just got here."

Rachel giggled. She touched Bentley's cheek.

"You're cute," she said.

"Do you have any siblings, Bentley," Curt asked.

Bentley seemed to snap out of his daze. "Uh, yeah," he managed to say. "I have a sister named Lisa who's 19."

"How about that?" Curt asked. "The same age as me."

"How old are you, Bentley?" Rachel asked.

"Fourteen," Bentley said. "I'm entering Grade 8 in September."

"Me too," Rachel said.

Bentley told his parents and Lisa about the new family. George invited them over for a welcome dinner, but Jack and his wife Reese insisted on doing the cooking. He wanted to treat Bentley's family to a full feast of Southern favourites. Everyone ate a great deal. Curt and Lisa seemed to enjoy the food and each other's company, but Lisa still carried a torch for Bert and decided to keep her friendship with Curt as just that.

After Rachel's family had gone home, George, Nicole and Lisa all noticed how happy Bentley looked.

"Do you like her, Bentley?" Lisa said.

"Yeah," Bentley said. "Those feelings of loneliness I had after Annie moved away seem to be disappearing."

"Is she the kind of girl you'd like for a girlfriend?" Nicole asked.

"Let's not rush things, Nicole," George said. "They just met."

"I do like her," Bentley said. "But maybe I should wait a few weeks before I think about dating her."

"That's a really mature decision, son," George said, hugging Bentley. "I'm so proud of you."

Bentley and Rachel spent the time before those few weeks just talking and sharing their interests, but he stuck to his decision to personally ask Jack and Reese if he could date Rachel.

"If you say no," Bentley said. "I'll understand. It won't change how I feel about Rachel or the rest of you."

"I'm okay with it," Reese said.

"I am too," Jack said. "I only ask, Bentley, that you respect and honour her. That means that if you intend to take her out and something comes up, you pick up the phone and tell her. You've probably heard rumours about what we fathers from the south are like, but as you can see, there's no shotgun in this house." He snickered when he said that, and smiled and patted Bentley on the shoulder.

"I promise," Bentley said. "I'll never hurt her."

"Good," Jack said. "You'll get to live longer, now." He was still smiling, which was a relief to Bentley.

After he left the room, Reese smiled and looked at Bentley.

"Don't be afraid of Jack, Bentley," Reese said. "We both really like you. He's just protective like many fathers."

"As long as he meant the shotgun part," Bentley said, laughing. "I'm happy."

The first date Bentley and Rachel went on was to a matinee of BATMAN RETURNS. They saw many movie matinees and also went to the beach.

Bentley had a summer job reviewing movies for the Evergreen Standard. His Uncle Ralph and Aunt Melissa seemed really happy for him.

"You and Rachel really seem to be hitting it off, Bentley," Melissa said.

"I really messed things up with Annie," Bentley said. "I don't want to let Rachel down."

"She doesn't hug your tail like Annie used to," Ralph said.

"No, she just holds my hand," Bentley said. "Uncle Ralph, when you and Aunt Melissa were kids, did she hug your tail?"

"You bet she did," Ralph said. "I was like you. I wasn't crazy about girls at first, but she grew on me so quickly, like you seem to be growing on Rachel."

"There's this crazy rumour that when a boy and girl hug each other's tails," Melissa said. "They get married when they're adults."

"I'm only fourteen," Bentley said. "Rachel and I have a long way to go before that happens."

"Just promise us," Ralph said. "That when it does happen, you'll invite me and your Aunt Melissa, as long as we're not taking the old dirt nap before then."

"Sure, Uncle Ralph," Bentley said. "I promise."

When Bentley and Rachel finally started the school year, they still cared about each other, but didn't let their feelings get in the way of their studies.

Having a new girlfriend in his life wasn't the only positive thing happening to Bentley that September. Ralph and Melissa also welcomed their first child, a daughter named Molly, that month. George and Nicole loved being an aunt and uncle, and Bentley and Lisa loved having a new cousin to spend time with.

When Bentley had Annie in his life, Sam and Dave, the bear and wildcat who used to pick on him occasionally, even though they claimed to be his friends, used to tease him about his relationship with Annie. Ironically, both of them now had girlfriends too.

As June 1993 rolled around and the school year was drawing to a close, Bentley had asked Rachel to be his date to the Grade 8 graduation dance, which Rachel eagerly accepted.

The only thing Bentley wasn't looking forward to about that dance was that his Uncle Ralph and Aunt Melissa were going to be chaperones. He asked the two of them why this was happening.

"We volunteered, Bentley," Ralph said. "Besides, we need a break from parenting duties, and your parents are going to babysit Molly that night. I hope it's okay with you and Rachel."

"It's no problem," Bentley said.

"I asked if I could take some photos of the dance for the Standard, Bentley," Melissa said. "It's part of my EVERYDAY (AND NIGHT) LIFE IN THE FOREST series. Don't worry, I'll be taking photos of everyone, not just you and Rachel."

"Is Bert doing anything for the dance?" Bentley asked.

"He'll be the DJ," Melissa said.

"That's great," Bentley said. "He's one of the best DJs in the forest."

After taking a hot shower and applying some deodorant, Bentley put on the tuxedo that he had rented. It was just like the one that Bert wore in that bachelor auction in 1989, but a slightly smaller size. He also applied some gel to the fur on top of his head and slicked it back. Then he did what most kids dressed like him dread, he went downstairs to ask his family what they thought.

"Looking sharp, little brother," Lisa said.

"Our son looks like a movie star," Nicole said to George. "I feel tempted to ask for his autograph."

"Let's not embarrass Bentley, Nicole," George said. "It's a special night for him."

George put his arms around Bentley and hugged him. "Tonight you're a man, son."

"Thanks Dad," Bentley said.

A few seconds later the doorbell rang. Nicole opened it. Rachel stood there with her parents. She was wearing a blue ankle-length and sleeveless dress with spaghetti straps for the shoulders.

Rachel took the white carnation from its plastic container and attached it to the lapel of Bentley's tux. Normally, Bentley would have taken the corsage for Rachel out of its container and placed it around her wrist. But he was having trouble because he was thunderstruck at how beautiful she was.

Lisa nudged Bentley and said "Aren't you forgetting something, Bentley?"

"Oh right," Bentley said. He took the corsage and placed it on Rachel's wrist.

"Oh Bentley," Rachel said. "It's lovely."

"So's the girl who's wearing it," Bentley said.

Rachel liked that and leaned closer to Bentley. She looked like she was ready to kiss.

"Not in front of our parents," Bentley whispered in her ear. "Let's save that for somewhere private."

But the parents, and Lisa, could still hear Bentley.

"You better hurry up and kiss her, Bentley," Nicole said, laughing. "Before some other boy steals her away from you."

"Mom," Bentley moaned, embarrassed.

The dance took place at Lady Baden-Baden's mansion. Bentley thought this was a rather odd location, but she and Mr. Knox were major supporters of the Evergreen School Board and they were holding the dance here as a gift to the graduates from the various elementary and secondary schools. Ralph and Melissa were seated not too far from Bentley and Rachel.

The first songs played were fast songs. Bentley and Rachel didn't mind fast songs, but they were looking forward to holding each other and listening to some slow stuff. The first song they slow danced too was Silent Tiger's "Have You Ever Needed To Kiss Somebody So Bad".

(Silent Tiger are a parody of Def Leppard, and the song mentioned is a parody of Leppard's 1992 hit "Have You Ever Needed Someone So Bad".)

Melissa took a lot of pictures when the kids were dancing. Being here brought back a lot of memories for her, when she and Ralph graduated from Grade 8.

Rachel took Bentley's arm and said "Could we go outside for a minute, Bentley?"

"Sure," Bentley said.

As soon as they got outside on the balcony, Rachel turned to face Bentley.

"You know, Bentley," Rachel said. "I used to have this dream of going to a dance with a handsome guy in a tuxedo and sharing my first kiss with him."

"That sounds like a nice dream," Bentley said.

"Well, it's not a dream anymore," Rachel said. "You made it come true." Then she put her hands on Bentley's cheeks and pulled him in for their first kiss. Bentley wasn't sure how to respond at first, but then he got into the spirit of things. A few seconds after they started, they noticed the pop of a camera flash.

"Looks like your Aunt Melissa got another photo to add to her collection," Rachel said.

Melissa showed Ralph the photo of Bentley and Rachel's kiss. Ralph seemed quite amused.

"Reminds me of the kiss we had after I raced against Troy Malone," Ralph said. "Looks like they learned to kiss from the masters."

"Oh Ralph," Melissa said, giggling.

Bentley and Rachel came up to Ralph and Melissa's table.

"Rachel and I wondered if we could switch partners for a while," Bentley said. He took his Aunt Melissa's hand.

"Could I have this dance?" he asked her.

"That would be lovely, Bentley," Melissa said. Rachel took Ralph's hand. The four of them went out to the dancefloor. They slow-danced to Madonna's "Live To Tell" and a few other slow songs, and boogied down to "Stayin' Alive" by the Bee Gees and other 70s favourites. The closing song for that evening was, ironically, "School's Out" by Alice Cooper.

EPILOGUE

It was now the summer of 2013. It was the 20th anniversary of the Grade 8 Class of 1993. Bentley and Rachel had both done very well in high school and university. Bentley had proposed to Rachel in early 2007, which she eagerly accepted. They married on May 31 that year. They were the proud parents of two children, Mark, born in 2009, and Vanessa, born in 2011.

When it came time for the dance, Bentley took Rachel's hand and said "Could I have this dance?"

"You bet," Rachel said.

They then slow-danced to "A Groovy Kind of Love" by Phil Collins, and at the conclusion of the song, they shared another kiss.

THE END


End file.
